Khel Khel Mein

A Spanish movie Perfect Strangers has been remade in multiple languages, and now comes another remake in Hindi. With zero expectations, Stree 2 released on same day and already knowing the story, I skipped this one in theaters. Having watched it now, I can say I made the right choice.

A group of close friends meets for a wedding and decides to play a game: they must surrender their mobile phones, unlocked, on the table for the night. Any messages, emails, or calls they receive must be read out loud, revealing a Pandora's box of everyone's secrets.

The novelty of the story is lost, as it's such a well-known premise. What remains is the execution. Credit to the makers for attempting to Indianize the content and make it more relatable, but there are many loopholes that can't be overlooked. Strangely, in this version, everyone seems to have an extramarital affair, and the makers couldn't think of any other secret to make things interesting.

Akshay Kumar leads this ensemble cast. He fits the role and delivers a convincing performance. Amusingly, the filmmakers keep reminding us that Akshay is playing his age, offering random justifications to ensure no one questions it. Vaani Kapoor, as his wife, is decent. Taapsee Pannu gets the most interesting character, and she delivers for the most part. Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal, and Pragya Jaiswal are strictly okay, while Fardeen Khan struggles the most, barely managing to perform, reminding us that a famous surname can help revive a career.

The songs are below average and only add to the runtime. The climax is highly clichéd and underwhelming. The group of supposed friends lacks chemistry, making it hard to connect with them. Visually, the film is appealing with its gloss and glamour. The movie touches on important themes like sexual acceptance, but that's as far as it goes. In the end, it feels like the Hindi saying "Raat gayi, baat gayi" - no one seems to care about what transpired by the time the film ends.

Overall, it's a below-average movie with a beautiful cast and good production design. There are a few funny dialogues to make you chuckle, and since it's on OTT with a short runtime, it can be watched on a lazy afternoon.

#pranureviews #KhelKhelMein #KhelKhelMeinReview.